How many watts

[kball]

How many watts should my ceramic heat edmiter be.

 

[Yvonne G]

100 works well for me. It all depends upon how large an area you're trying to heat.

 

[Tom]

What size enclosure? What are the typical room temps?

Usually a 100-150 watt will cover most situations, but run it on a thermostat. Thermostats are about $30 and very easy to use. Just plug the thermostat into the wall and set the probe inside the enclosure, then plug your CHE into the thermostat's receptacle. This will keep it from overheating your enclosure, and it will automatically keep your ambient temperature where you want it, day and night.

 

[mike taylor]

Get yourself some normal lamps from Wall-Mart 40watt 60watt 100watt check your temperature under each one . The one that reads the best buy that wattage che . Just a reminder che' s do run a little hotter . So you my need to make the fixture stand adjustable . If it's to hot move it up to cold move it down . To test temperatures use a rock the size of the tortoise under the heat lamp or che . Remember the shell of the tortoise can get burned . So let the rock do the iffy work not your tortoise .

 

[kball]

18 by 12 by 36.

 

[kball]

70-75 f

 

[Tom]

And you are are housing your two tortoises in that? It is way too small for either of them, much less both of them. You need something much larger, especially for your sulcata.

 

[Len B]

Here's what I think, I buy the higher wattage bulb or CHE along with a lamp dimmer. the dimmer cost about $10. The che or bulb can be mounted and the temperature can be adjusted using the slide on the dimmer instead of raising and lowering it. If your setup is in a controlled area like inside a heated or air conditioned room, where the temps don't vary much, once you get the temp where you want it you should be good to go, but if the surrounding temps vary you may need a thermostat to hold a constant temp.

 

[kball]

And you are are housing your two tortoises in that? It is way too small for either of them, much less both of them. You need something much larger, especially for your sulcata.

No just the sulcata I moved the leopard at your request.

 

[Tom]

18x36" is a 40 gallon. That is too small even for a hatchling in my opinion. At the size yours has attained, he needs a 4x8 foot enclosure at the minimum for indoors. It would be best if he spent most of his time outside during fair weather in a very large, shady, safe enclosure.

 

[kball]

I agree and I will work on that how should go about making an enclosed enclosed inside at that size. Would a 4 x6 work

 

[Tom]

You'll probably need some help building it. Maybe dad knows how? Anything larger than what you have will be an improvement and better for your tortoise.

 

[kball]

Thanks tom